PRAB Meeting Date: April 4, 2024
To: Members of the Park and Recreation Advisory Board
From: Charlie Fredericks, Streets & Parks Manager
David Bennett, Public Work Director/City Engineer
Title
Informational Update on Ice Arena Options
Body
Action Requested:
The Board hears and discusses an update on the Ice Arena.
Summary Report:
The City over the last year has continued to explore options for Northfield Ice Arena. The Ice Arena is the worst condition City building and has reached the end of its useful life as an Ice Arena. The City contracted with JLG Architects and RJM Construction to provide updated costs on a new ice arena, along with remodeling/expanding the existing Ice Arena.
The City is considering the sale of the existing ice arena land/building to an interested buyer. The City is nearing final terms of the sale. The sale proceeds would go toward a new ice arena.
The City held meetings with the key stakeholders of the Ice Arena; Northfield Hockey Association, Northfield School District, and Northfield Skate School to review a new ice arena building program and review costs.
Three different options were reviewed, and a summary of the costs are below. The costs below are for 2025 construction.
Option 1 - New ~52,000 SF Ice Arena
$25,166,480 Construction Cost
$2,887,486 Soft Cost
$28,053,966 Project Cost
Option 2 - New ~45,800 SF Ice Arena
$18,843,254 Construction Cost
$2,053,244 Soft Costs
$20,896,498 Project Cost
Optional Upgrades - Could come from additional donations or in the future
$382,951 Floor Dryland (small space 1,350 SF)
$1,307,785 Upper Level Dryland (5,300 SF)
$2,361,439 Precast Concrete Stadium Seating
$24,948,673 Project Total with all Options
Option 3 - Existing Ice Arena Improvements - Renovate/Expand
$ 4,545,998 Remodel/Refrigeration System
$10,528,983 New Addition
$15,074,981 Project Cost
Funding Partnership for a New Arena Option 2
$20.9 Million Total New Ice Arena
$1.225 Million Sale of Existing Ice Arena
$2.0 Million Donations
The remainder of the cost would be split between the City of Northfield and City of Dundas based on each City’s estimated market value and a Northfield School District Lease Levy. Northfield annual debt payment would be $1,002,581, Dundas annual payment would be $138,347 and the Northfield School District annual contribution would be $250,000.
Alternative Options:
Close the Ice Arena and no longer offer this to the community. The school district indicated that students that participate in the ice programs may leave the district. If the students in the youth hockey program and High School left for example (150 students), the District would have a loss of revenue of $1.5 Million.
Financial Impacts:
See attached financial impacts.
Tentative Timelines:
• March 12, 2024 - City Council Discuss Ice Arena Partnerships
• April 2, 2024 - PRAB Ice Arena Discussion
• March - May 2024
o Formalize Partnership Agreement with Northfield School District
o Formalized Partnership Agreement with City of Dundas
o Architect Contract
• May - Dec 2024 Design
• 2025 Construction